Ever with You
by AngelE777
Summary: Naraku defeated, Kagome wishes upon the shikon no tama and makes a choice about her future.
1. The Shikon no Tama

Hello!  I've decided to write another Inuyasha fanfiction, this one taking place after the defeat of Naraku.  Hope you enjoy it, and thanks for reading!

**Yuki the Rat**: I'm glad that you enjoyed my last FB piece.  Thanks for your suggestion, I've started thinking about what I'll write, hope I'm up to the challenge! :) 

Disclaimer: Inuyasha and its characters are the property of their respective owners.  This piece is not for profitable purposes.__

_Ever with You_

Chapter 1: The Shikon no Tama 

Standing unsteadily, Kagome attempts to recover from the initial shock.  All in the group had suffered injuries, but Naraku had amazingly been defeated through the combination of all of their powers, including that of the distant Sesshomarou and the hotheaded Kouga.   At the assurance of Naraku's demise, Kagura smiles slightly and takes off upon her feather.  Her usual expressionless look upon her face, Kanna drops the mirror, which shatters as it hits the ground, before she turns and walks away.  The remaining group watch as the two depart, but make no moves to stop them.  Aware of the end of danger, Kouga limps over to Kagome and grins as he uses his claws to remove the shards from his legs and hands them to her.  She smiles quietly in return.  The shards merge with the jewel, which now has only one imperfection - the shard embedded in Kohaku's back - the only thing keeping him alive.  Sango, who wanted to be the one, walks over to Kohaku, who looks at her with a face of mixed emotions.

Her face downcast and her eyes shadowed by her hair, she stands before him.

"You can have it," he says simply.

Surprised, she looks up at him.

"Kohaku."

"I know that the one in me is the last one, and that she needs it to purify the jewel."

He turns around so that his back is facing her.  He looks back at his forgotten sister and smiles as he says, "Even though I don't remember you, I'm glad that I could see you again."

Her eyes fill with tears and, her hands and fingers shaking, she uses her sword to cut at the spot where Kagome had told her the shard was located.  The shard revealed, she re-sheathes her sword, removes the remaining piece, and steps forward as she captures in her arms his lifeless frame as it slips to the earth.  Silent moments pass and tears fall onto his remains before she delicately places his body upon the ground and stands.  Mustering her courage, she walks with the last shard to Kagome.

As she hands her the final piece of the jewel, Kagome quietly says, "Thank you, Sango."

Sango, unable to speak, nods her head in return and moves back slightly. 

Kagome places the shard near the jewel, and it levitates to the main piece, and the shikon no tama completes.  Using her miko powers, Kagome purifies the jewel, causing it to emit a bright and blinding pink light.  All the group circles around her, Inuyasha, who leans on his sheathed tessaiga for support, watches most intently – but his sight is upon Kagome, rather than the jewel.  The group had decided together what Kagome would say when this time had come.  She breathes deeply and then lifts the arm clasping the shikon no tama within its fisted hand to the sky.  She raises her face to set her eyes upon the jewel and opens her mouth to speak.

"Midoriko-sama and the shikon no tama, those gathered here seek to make a wish upon the jewel.  Please, lend us your power, and allow Kohaku to return to life, this time, with recognition of his dear sister and his mind, heart, and soul at peace."

The shikon no tama slowly comes apart into floating and twinkling glimmers that ascend to the sky above until Kagome's hand is empty.  Sango is first to move to Kohaku and to see him stand once more.  

He looks to her and smiles as he says, "Nee-chan."

Her eyes tearing, she embraces him tightly and says, "Kohaku."

He returns the embrace as he says, "Thank you."

She moves away from him slightly and wipes her tears as she says, "I'm so happy, I have waited for this day for so long."

He looks to all the others in group but then rest his eyes upon Kagome as he says, "I am grateful to you all, especially you, Miko-sama for having used your powers to make this wish upon the jewel."

Kagome blushes slightly as she says, "We are all glad that you and Sango-chan are reunited."

Sango looks towards Miroku and he smiles calmly as he approaches her.

"Hoshi-sama – no – Miroku, your hand it, surely, it…" she trails off, unable to finish her sentence.

He removes the prayer beads and cloth from his hand and places it and his other over her right hand.

"Together with Kohaku, let us find happiness, my beloved Sango."

Once again overjoyed, Sango leans forward as Miroku takes her into his arms and strokes her hair as she cries. 

Kagome tears at the scene before her - and at the thought of the path that awaits her, the one that she has secretly chosen.  


	2. A Union and a Parting

Hello, here's the next chapter.

**_Lady Hawke and sailorpsychosis_**: Thank you both for reading and for your compliments!  :)  I'm glad that you're both enjoying the story so far.

Disclaimer: Inuyasha and its characters are the property of their respective owners.  This piece is not for profitable purposes.

_Chapter 2: A Union and a Parting_

Having had watched from a distance the entire time, Rin can no longer contain herself, and runs from the shelter of the trees to Sesshomarou, Jaken chasing and yelling after her.

"Sesshmarou-samaaaa!" she squeals.

When she arrives next to him, he acknowledges her presence with a glance, but then turns around and slowly walks away in the direction from which she had come.

Wanting to speak with Kohaku but not wanting to risk Sesshomarou leaving, Rin turns back and forth between the two, and then decides to stand still and to call out to him.

"Kohaku-kun!"

Hearing his name, Kohaku jogs over to her.

She smiles at him and says, "I hope that we can see each other again soon."

He smiles in return and says, "I think that would be nice, too."

Satisfied, she waves good bye and begins to run to catch up with Sesshomarou.  

He waves in return before returning to the group. 

Setting her plan in motion, Kagome looks at everyone gathered, a smile upon her face that expresses only some of her emotions, and says, "We should return to Kaede oba-chan's village."

Sango and Miroku, hand-in-hand, shake their heads in agreement.  Kohaku remains silent while Shippou smiles broadly in response.  It is Inuyasha who senses that there is something awry.  Deciding that this is something that should not be ignored, this thought remains foremost in his mind as he starts to walk ahead, leading the group as they make there way.

When they arrive, Kaede is there to greet them.  She had sensed the great decrease in jaki, and was pleased that she had reached the correct conclusion.  Sango introduces Kaede and Kohaku before they all enter Kaede's home to settle and relax.  Kagome and Sango choose to go to the hot springs.  Noting the opportunity, Kagome decides to speak with Sango about one of the steps in her plan, to assure her good friend's happiness.

"Sango-chan, has Miroku-sama said anything more about getting married?"

Blushing, Sango stammers a response, "Miroku did make that promise, and now that Kohaku has been saved and the kazanna is gone…"

Kagome giggles as she says, "I'm sure Kaede oba-chan would be happy to marry you."

Surprised and wide-eyed, Sango answers, "Do you really think so, Kagome-chan?"

She smiles as she says, "Of course."

"I, I see," she says, her face betraying the rapid swirling of thoughts in her mind.  

Kagome and Sango return after they finish, and Kagome speaks to Kaede, who gladly agrees to her idea.  Sango approaches Miroku, who is sitting quietly in a corner.

Trying to sound confident, she says, "Miroku."

He looks to her and smiles as he says, "Yes, Sango?"

She blushes and moves nervously as she says, "Kaede oba-chan, she – she's willing to perform the ceremony."

He stands and moves towards her.  

As he takes hold of her hand, he says, "Shall we then?"

She smiles broadly and nods her head yes.

While Sango goes to a village tailor to have a wedding ceremonial kimono fitted, Miroku prepares himself and Kagome and Shippou collect flowers.  When Sango returns, Kagome places on her head a flower chain crown that Shippou had made and gives her a bunch of flowers to hold during the ceremony.  Sango thanks them for their gifts and hugs them both.  The group and other guests gather in the village center, where Kaede performs the ceremony, Miroku smiling and Sango tearing throughout.  A joyous celebration is held after nightfall, with food, sake, and songs from local musicians.  

Pleased to see Sango and Miroku happy and noting that, in the midst of the party, no one is watching her, Kagome decides that now is the time – the time to follow through with the promise she had made to herself.  She looks once more to be sure that Inuyasha is not there, and experiences conflicting feelings when she realizes he is nowhere nearby.  Knowing this, she slips away quietly, headed towards the well that had brought here, and which will take her away.  As she walks, she hears and feels the chill wind and notices the solitude that pervades the darkness.  She looks up at the stars, and remembers the first time she had seen them here, how excited she was because they were missing from her own time.  As other memories flood her mind, she smiles sadly, knowing that she will miss this place, her friends, but by far most of all…

"Inuyasha?" she says, startled to see him standing silently beside the well, the moonlight showing the sleeves of his fire-rat fir coat and strands of his hair moving with the breeze.  

His expression serious, he watches her as he says, "I could tell – by the sound of your voice and how you acted - that I would find you here."


	3. By the Well

Hello!  Here's another chapter, may or may not be the last one, not sure yet.

**_hanyou-elf, Inu's Wife, Talek, LotusStar, and Kikyo!_**: Thanks to you all for reading, I'm glad that you've enjoyed the story!

**_Kohaku27_**: Thanks for your comment.  I'm watching subtitled Inuyasha, the last episode I watched was 140.  If you have any other questions, please let me know! :)

Disclaimer: Inuyasha and its characters are the property of their respective owners.  This piece is not for profitable purposes.

Chapter 3: By the Well 

Wanting to avoid his glance, Kagome looks downward at the ground as she says, "I – I didn't expect to see you here."

He remains silent for a moment before answering in a tone quieter than his usual, "You must have hated it here all along, leaving like this."

She lifts her head quickly and shakes her head no as she answers, her voice raised, "That's not true, not at all.  A lot of things happened along the way, but I was happy to be amongst friends, journeying together."

He looks away from her in the direction of the Goshinboku and answers, "It has to be then that I drove you away, all the times that I've hurt you because of my feelings for Kikyo."

She moves towards him and rests her hand against his arm.  

He turns his face back towards hers and she looks into his eyes as she says, "I'm not of this place, Inuyasha.  My family, my classmates – my future, are on the other side of that well.  I was just here because of a twist of fate and a string of events.  I've finished what I came to do, the shikon no tama no longer exists here or anywhere.  It's time for me to return and continue my life as it was before.  And you, Inuyasha, where we are now, this is your world, where you have always lived.  How could you leave here after the promise that you made with her to protect her?  Even though she's gone, this is where she had once lived, where you shared time together not so long ago.  Your staying here keeps that alive."  

With a pained look in his eyes, he says, "I failed Kikyo over and over, not keeping the promises I made to her.  I didn't fully trust her on that day, and I let her face Naraku alone.  I couldn't even return her remains to where they had been laid to rest."

Saddened but accepting, she removes her hand from his arm and places it on the rim of the well. 

"You understand, don't you, Inuyasha?  I know you don't want to fail her anymore and believe you know in your heart that you should remain here."

She places her other hand and right foot on the rim of the well and then looks to him with a smile.

"Thank you, Inuyasha, for letting me travel with you, it has meant so much to me.  More than anything else, seeing, walking, arguing, celebrating - everything with you - will be what I'll miss the most.  I wish you all the best in the world."

Choking back the tears that she know will flow endlessly once she leaves and seals the well, she moves forward, about to jump, when she feels his hand against her left arm.

Startled, she stops and looks back at him, surprised to see the determined expression in his eyes.

"I won't let it end like this."

"Inuyasha."

"It's true, I couldn't do for Kikyo what I promised, I hurt one I cared about.  That's not going to happen anymore.  I won't fail the one most important to me."

"I, I knew you'd understand."

"You're wrong."

Confused, she moves so she is standing next to the well once more, her right hand still on the rim.

"What do you mean, Inuyasha?"

To her shock, he steps forward and embraces her tightly.

"Why haven't I been clear?  I've never told you that _you_ are the most important to me."

Hearing these words, Kagome's resolve melts away and she moves both her arms to return his embrace as tears begin to stream down her face.  They remain silent in each other's arms for a few moments in time, finally freeing their feelings from where they had been held deep inside. 

They loosen their embrace but remain holding each other's hands and smile to each other.  Inuyasha takes one hand and uses it to carefully wipe away her tears before returning it to her hand.

"I don't want us to be apart ever again, Kagome.  I'm coming with you wherever you go."

"Inuyasha," she says before embracing him once more. 

"I'll stay ever with you."

"That is my greatest wish."

He moves from her embrace and, to her surprise, picks her up and grins as he says, "We don't need the shikon no tama to grant that one."

She smiles in return as he jumps with her into the well – into their future. 


End file.
